I'm a tech, social media and environmental addict. I've also written for many major publishers such as National Geographic, Technorati and The Huffington Post. I have also worked with a variety of different startups around the globe as well as larger advertising agencies in the United States and the UK. I currently live in San Francisco where I attend as many tech and business conferences as possible to gain more knowledge and transfer my knowledge to other people. If you ever want to find me in my free time look for the nearest disc golf course or dog park where I frequently take my dog, Zeus.

Dubbed NEETs (Not Employed, in Education, or Training), more than 26 million young people in the developed world and 260 million in the developing nations (a group larger than the United States) are out of work and have little prospect for upward mobility.

Despite the fact that youth employment has increased by 30% across the developing world, most of those employed and under the age of 24 are in temporary positions – jobs that hardly secure a long term future. These gains seem even less substantial due to the fact that more than half of the world’s youth live in Africa or the Middle East – places that have not seen such job growth.

It’s an upsetting failure of the current global economy; however, it’s a problem that could be alleviated, in part, with targeted education programs that push young people to develop an entrepreneurial spirit and create their own jobs.

The Part Time Problem

Most of the recent increases in unemployment have occurred in developed countries, which were hit hard by the worldwide economic slowdown and the European debt crisis. Currently, the rate of unemployment is 15.8% in developed countries, a 2.1% increase since 2008. That said, some countries suffered more than others. In Ireland, Spain, and Estonia, the rate went up more than 5% between 2008 and 2010.

However, many analysts claim that these figures are misleading, due to the fact that many who are employed are in jobs without prospects for growth. According to the International Labor Organization (ILO), the percentage of youth working temporary jobs has increased as well, rising from 20% in 2000 to around 33% in 2011. Part-time work makes up 77% of the total employment growth this year. The United States added 526,000 jobs between April and July 2013, but the number of part-time jobs increased by 684,000.

The ILO also reports that half of the young population in developing countries finds employment in the informal economy. These are considered “vulnerable” workers, who encompass 56.2% of those working in developing countries in 2013. Some places are worse-off than others. Youth unemployment has risen to 64.9% in Greece, almost 10% higher than it was in March 2012. In the entire EU, youth unemployment is 23.2%.

Solutions to a Stubborn, Systemic Problem

As the world becomes increasingly connected, the possibility to lend vulnerable workers a hand is increasing in ways other than foreign aid. Encouraging developing nations to remove barriers that hinder entrepreneurs from opening businesses would be far more helpful. This is especially true for women, as the social structure in many countries causes problems that affect female business owners more significantly than their male counterparts. This is especially unfortunate as women tend to contribute to the well-being of their entire community more so than male business owners.

Additionally, formal training would help ensure that, once started, more businesses will thrive. For example, online bookkeeping courses would help business owners develop essential skills at the fundamental core of their businesses. This would also help business owners understand interest rates and the real costs of business loans.

Many organizations have begun to promote programs like this on a small scale. For example, Business Owners for Peace (BPeace) helps connect aspiring entrepreneurs with successful professionals who choose to help with their time, as opposed to lending money. Many successful companies have been started in countries like Afghanistan and El Salvador because of BPeace. For example, DSOTI, a female-run Afghan company that makes soccer balls, employs more than 400 people. Another group that has made a huge impact in fragile economies is the International Finance Corporation, which has trained more than 135,000 people.

In developed nations, it’s also important that governments continue to remove barriers to businesses and provide tax breaks and incentives to small companies and startups. Many business owners are heavily taxed, depending on where the business is located, and are often sunk by tax expenses.

While these movements won’t completely solve the problem, they’ll help make incremental improvements which will continue to add up. Additionally, as more successful businesses are started, these programs will become less necessary. Locals will be able to pass on the information without outside help, thus creating a self-sustaining business environment.

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